Muhoozi Kainerugaba

Muhoozi Kainerugaba
Born (1974-04-24) 24 April 1974 (age 50)
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
AllegianceUganda People's Defense Force
Service / branch Ugandan Land Forces
Years of service1999 – present
RankGeneral
CommandsChief of Defence Forces (2024)

Special Forces Command (2008–2017, 2020–2021)[1][2]

Commander UPDF Land forces (2021–2022)[3][4][5]
Battles / wars2008–2009 Garamba offensive
Alma mater
ChildrenLukyamuzi Christopher
RelationsYoweri Museveni (father)
Janet Museveni (mother)
This article is part of a series about
Muhoozi Kainerugaba

UPDF Career

1999–present

Career

Muhoozi Kainerugaba (born 24 April 1974)[6] is a Ugandan military officer. He is the son of President Yoweri Museveni[7] and currently serves as the Chief of Defence Forces of the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF). He is also the chairman of the Patriotic League of Uganda, a pressure group lobbying for his presidency.[8][9][10][11]

He has served as commander of the Special Forces Command (SFC), Ugandan Military's special operations unit, from 2008 to 2017, and again from December 2020 to 2021,[1][2] then In January, 2017, Muhoozi was appointed by his father, a Senior Presidential Adviser for Special Operations, fueling speculations he was being groomed for the presidency.[12][13] Retaining his aforementioned role, he was appointed again by his father, to serve as chief commander of the land forces of the UPDF from 24 June, 2021[3][4] to 4 October, 2022, when he was removed following tweets on X (née Twitter) claiming to be able to capture Nairobi in less than two weeks.[5] Despite this, Muhoozi was on March 21, 2024, appointed by his father, Museveni as the Chief of Defence[14]—a position that effectively makes him the head of Uganda's Military. Both the UPDF and the SFC are accused of using excessive force,[15][16][17][18] as well as abductions;[19][20] Muhoozi and other senior officials are mentioned in an International Criminal Court complaint.[21] He announced he would be running for presidential office in elections slated for 2026, on 15 March 2023, despite his father also indicating he would run for re-election.[22]

Under his leadership as Commander of Uganda's Land forces, on 30 November 2021, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo launched a joint military offensive in Eastern Congo dubbed 'Operation Shujaa', headed by then, Maj. Gen. Kayanja Muhanga.[23] The stated reason was to fight against the jihadist linked rebel group Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)[24] based in eastern Congo along the border with Uganda.

  1. ^ a b "Museveni reappoints First Son Muhoozi SFC Commander, Gen Loketch named New Deputy IGP". Watchdog Uganda. 16 December 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba back, Sabiiti out". independent.co.ug. 16 December 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Kainerugaba named commander UPDF land forces". independent.co.ug. 24 June 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  4. ^ a b Kazibwe, Kenneth (24 June 2021). "Museveni appoints son Muhoozi as new land forces commander". Nile Post. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Uganda removes president's son from army role after Kenya invasion tweets". Reuters. 4 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  6. ^ Butagira, Tabu (22 May 2010). "Janet Museveni Opens Up On Love, Family And Politics". AllAfrica.com. The Monitor. Retrieved 5 October 2022. President Museveni writes in his autobiography: "... Janet and I were married in August 1973 and our first child, Muhoozi [Kainerugaba], was born on April 24, 1974..."
  7. ^ "Muhoozi Kainerugaba". britannica.com. 22 March 2024.
  8. ^ "MK Movement turns into National Patriotic League of Uganda". The Independent Uganda. 7 February 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Museveni appoints Gen Muhoozi as CDF". Monitor. 21 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  10. ^ "BREAKING NEWS: Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba Appointed Chief of Defence Forces". ChimpReports. 21 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  11. ^ "Museveni appoints Muhoozi new Chief of Defence Forces". New Vision. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  12. ^ "Uganda's Museveni promotes son to special adviser role". BBC News. 10 January 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  13. ^ Blanshe, Musinguzi (13 May 2021). "Uganda: Museveni's son Muhoozi being manoeuvred into place". The Africa Report. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  14. ^ "Muhoozi Kainerugaba: Ugandan president promotes his son to military chief". BBC News. 22 March 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  15. ^ "US gravely concerned about reports of abuse". Reuters. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  16. ^ "Zaake sues maj gen Sabiit Muzeyi SFC". PML daily.
  17. ^ "Ugandan special forces accused of ejecting MPs from parliament". Reuters. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  18. ^ Biryabarema, Elias (18 February 2021). "Uganda military sentences soldiers up to three months in jail over journalist assault". Reuters. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  19. ^ "Pulkol attacks spies SFC over abductions". Monitor.
  20. ^ "Where are the missing persons". Monitor. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  21. ^ "Ugandan president son named in ICC complaint over abductions and abuse". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  22. ^ Blanshe, Musinguzi (27 December 2022). "Uganda: Museveni will run in 2026. Can he outpace his son Muhoozi?". The Africa Report. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  23. ^ "Operation Shujaa Commanders Muhanga, Bombele Hold Review Meeting". The Kampala Post. 18 December 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  24. ^ "Why Ugandan troops entered DRC". BBC News. 4 December 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2022.